The present invention relates to a card processing apparatus and, more particularly, to a card processing apparatus which receives various types of cards such as a magnetic card having a magnetic stripe, an IC card formed with an IC, e.g., a memory circuit, therein and having external terminals, a magnetic/IC dual-type card, and the like, performs a read/write process for the IC memory in the card while the card is inserted if the received card has an IC, and reads magnetic information from the magnetic stripe when removing the card if the received card has a magnetic stripe.
A conventional card processing apparatus that performs an information read/write process for a magnetic/IC dual-type card and the like described above receives a card manually inserted by the user through the card insertion port until the external terminal portion of the IC memory of the card enters the interior of the apparatus, and presses its contact terminals into contact with the external terminals of the card, so that an information read/write process is performed for the IC memory in the card through the contact terminals. When the card is removed by the user, the apparatus causes the magnetic head to come into contact with the magnetic stripe of the card, so that magnetic information recorded on the magnetic stripe of the card is read by the magnetic head.
Requirements for such a card processing apparatus are as follows: (1) the contact state between the external terminals of the card and the contact terminals in the apparatus should be reliably held; (2) a wrong card should be ejected reliably; and (3) the card removal speed should be kept constant as much as possible.
Of these requirements, requirement (1) is naturally needed for stably and reliably performing a read/write process for the IC memory of the card. Requirement (3) is necessary for stably and reliably reading magnetic information recorded on the magnetic stripe of the card with the magnetic head in the apparatus when removing the card.
Regarding requirement (2), if a wrong card cut shorter than a proper card is completely inserted in the apparatus through the card insertion port for illegal use, this wrong card cannot be pulled out from the outside, and the equipment on which the card processing apparatus is mounted cannot be used. Requirement (2) is necessary for preventing this inconvenience.
FIGS. 10A and 10B show states before and after card insertion according to IC CARD READER HAVING LEVER THAT BENDS CARD ONTO IC CONTACT disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,078 as an example of the conventional card processing apparatus described above.
In the process of inserting an IC card 102 into the apparatus along a guide surface 153 extending long in the apparatus, the leading end portion of the IC card 102 presses down a rear end cam 147 of a lever 140. A front end cam 151 of the lever 140 interlockingly pivots about a pivot 141 as the fulcrum so as to bend, by pressing, the IC card 102 upward. Therefore, the external terminal portion of the IC card 102 can be forcibly brought into contact with contact terminals 104 in the apparatus.
An upward return force is constantly applied to the rear end cam 147 of the lever 140 with a return tongue portion 145 in the apparatus.
The conventional technique disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,078 merely satisfies the requirements (1) and (3) described above aiming at handling only proper IC cards and cannot satisfy the requirement (2) described above.
FIGS. 11A and 11B show states before and after card insertion according to IC CARD PROCESSING APPARATUS HAVING FUNCTION FOR CERTAINLY RECEIVING PROPER CARDS AND DISCHARGING WRONG CARDS disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,501 as an example of the conventional card processing apparatus described above.
In the process of inserting an IC card 201 along a guide groove 224 formed in the inlet port portion of the apparatus, the leading end portion of the IC card 201 slides a slide member 245 backward. A card pressing member 252 interlockingly pivots in the direction of the arrow shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B to press the IC card 201 upward. Therefore, the external terminal portion of the IC card 201 is forcibly brought into contact with contact terminals 239 in the apparatus.
A large forward return force is constantly applied to the slide member 245 with a pair of springs (not shown), and the slide member 245 is connected to the card pressing member 252 through a cam.
FIG. 11C shows a wrong card ejected state according to this U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,501.
The lower portion in the apparatus is largely opened. Even if a wrong card 203 cut shorter than the proper card is inserted, before its leading end reaches the slide member 24, it can be ejected from the lower opening portion in the apparatus, as indicated by an alternate long and short dashed line in FIG. 11C.
Concerning this respect, according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,078 described above shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, when a wrong card cut shorter than the proper card is inserted, it stays on the lever 140 and the guide surface 153 extending long in the apparatus to correctly guide the proper card.
The conventional technique disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,501 described above merely satisfies the above-described requirements (1) and (2) aiming at handling only proper and wrong cards and cannot satisfy requirement (3) described above.
More specifically, in any of the conventional card processing apparatuses, the external terminals of the IC card and the contact terminals in the card processing apparatus are forcibly pressed to be in reliable contact with each other. When the card is to be manually removed, it is inevitably removed with a strong force. Therefore, it is difficult to remove the card at a near constant speed without suddenly changing of removal speed with which magnetic information can be stably read from the magnetic stripe of the card with the magnetic head in the apparatus.